SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING TEXTILE MATERIAL WITH OZONE

Abstract

A system and a method for treating a textile material with ozone gas. The system includes: an ozone gas supply system, a hollow chamber fillable with ozone provided by said gas supply system, a textile-feeding port connected to said chamber and comprising a first liquid fillable tank, a textile-discharging port connected to said chamber and comprising a second liquid fillable tank, guide rollers, driving rollers, at least one tension compensator located inside the hollow chamber. The system is adapted for implementing the method, the latter including: using the system and providing liquid to said first and second tanks, providing ozone gas to said hollow chamber, driving the textile material to pass tensed through the system while controlling its tension using the tension compensators. The use of the tension compensators prevents the formation of ozone induced defects on the textile material.

Claims

1-39. (canceled)

40. A system for treating a textile material with ozone gas, the system comprising a hollow chamber comprising an interior with a plurality of guide rollers, the plurality of guide rollers being configured to contact and guide the textile material to pass, being lengthwise tensed and breadthwise spread out, through the hollow chamber; an ozone supply system that is an ozone generating device connected to the hollow chamber and configured to supply to the latter ozone gas at a desired concentration value; a textile-feeding port that is adjacent and connected to the hollow chamber, and comprises a first tank that is configured to contain a first pool of a first liquid preventing the leak of ozone through the textile-feeding port when the system is operated; a textile-discharging port that is adjacent and connected to the main chamber, and comprises a second tank that is configured to contain a second pool of a second liquid preventing the leak of ozone through the textile-discharging port when the system is operated; a plurality of driving rollers configured to drive the textile material to move through the system; wherein the system is configured so that the textile material successively passes through the first pool, through the interior of the hollow chamber, and through the second pool, the system further comprising an ozone concentration monitoring sensor arranged in the hollow chamber and connected with a microprocessor system, the microprocessor system being connected with a control system of the ozone generating device for adjusting an ozone generating speed of said ozone generating device according to the desired ozone concentration value, said desired ozone concentration value being of between 2 g/Nm.sup.3 and 150 g/Nm.sup.3, and the hollow chamber comprises in its interior at least one tension compensator configured to control the tension of the textile material when the latter passes through the hollow chamber.

41. The system according to claim 40, wherein the tension compensator comprises a contact part that is configured to contact the textile material and be movable along a geometrical line in between a corresponding first working position and a second working position, and control the tension of the passing textile material by deflecting the latter applying to it a deflection force of between 0.5 N and 400 N when the textile material along its length intersects said geometrical line.

42. The system according to claim 40, wherein the plurality of guide rollers comprises at least two groups of guide rollers, each of a first group and a second group of the at least two groups has at least two guide rollers, the first group is fixed on an upper part of the hollow chamber and the second group is fixed on a lower part of the hollow chamber, the plurality of guide rollers being also configured to guide the textile material to pass through both the upper part and the lower part of the interior of the hollow chamber.

43. The system according to claim 40, wherein the hollow chamber comprises in its interior an at least one sensor configured to measure the deflection force.

44. The system according to claim 40, wherein the plurality of driving rollers comprises a second Foulard-type roller fixed next to the textile material-discharging port and outside the hollow chamber, that is configured to be in contact with and receive the textile material exiting the textile material-discharging port, and is also configured to squeeze out liquid from the textile material.

45. The system according to claim 40, wherein the plurality of driving rollers comprises at least one internal traction roller disposed in the interior of the hollow chamber, the at least one internal traction roller being configured to contact the textile material and drive it to pass through the hollow chamber.

46. The system according to claim 40, wherein the plurality of driving rollers comprises at least one external traction roller located outside the hollow chamber and configured to be in contact with the textile material and drive it so the textile material passes through the hollow chamber.

47. The system according to claim 40, wherein at least one of the plurality of driving rollers comprises a drive motor that comprises a microprocessor that is configured to control and adjust the rotational speed of the respective driving roller.

48. The system according to claim 40, wherein the system further comprises an ozone gas destruction unit connected to the hollow chamber and configured to extract and destroy the ozone gas from the interior of the hollow chamber.

49. The system according to claim 40, wherein the system further comprises a liquid supply system connected to the first tank and/or the second tank, and configured to supply thereof the first liquid and/or the second liquid.

50. The system according to claim 40, wherein the system further comprises a liquid purification unit connected to the first tank and/or the second tank and configured to receive liquid therefrom, and to remove from said liquid fibers released by the textile material, and chemical byproducts produced by the treatment of the textile material and passed to the liquid.

51. The system according to claim 40, wherein each of the guide rollers of the plurality of guide rollers comprises fins configured to reduce the contact area between the textile material and the guide rollers.

52. The system according to claim 40, wherein the system treats an ensemble of non-weaved and non-bonded between them yarns, wherein the hollow chamber in its interior and in between at least two of the guide rollers of the plurality of guide rollers, comprises at least one separator configured to spatially separate at its vicinity a first set of the yarns of the textile material from a second set of the yarns of the textile material.

53. The system according to claim 40, wherein the system further comprises at least one dyeing unit located outside the hollow chamber, the textile-feeding port and the textile-receiving port, and configured to dye the textile material.

54. The system according to claim 40, wherein the system further comprises a dryer unit configured to dry the textile material exiting the textile-discharging port.

55. The system according to claim 40, wherein the system further comprises a second accumulation unit configured to receive and at least partially accumulate the textile material exiting the textile-discharging port.

56. The system according to claim 40, wherein the system further comprises a first accumulation unit which is configured to receive and at least partially accumulate the textile material and pass the latter to the textile-feeding port.

57. The system according to claim 40, wherein each of the guide rollers of the plurality of guide rollers has a diameter of between 50 mm and 500 mm.

58. The system according to claim 40, wherein each two consecutive guide rollers along the travel path that the textile material follows inside the hollow chamber guide rollers of the plurality of guide rollers are disposed so that the length of the travel path's part in between said consecutive guide rollers is of between 20 cm and 200 cm.

59. A method for treating a textile material with ozone gas, the textile material being a fabric or an ensemble of non-weaved and non-bonded between them yarns, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first liquid to a first tank and a second liquid to a second tank of a system that is according to claim 40; supplying the hollow chamber of the system with ozone gas at a desired ozone concentration value, by using the ozone generating device of the system; passing the textile material tensed through the system, by using the plurality of driving rollers and the plurality of guide rollers of the system; wherein the desired ozone concentration value is of between 2 g/Nm.sup.3 and 150 g/Nm.sup.3, and during the third step controlling the tension of the textile material inside the hollow chamber by using the tension compensator of the system.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein the tension compensator comprises a contact part that is configured to contact the textile material, and be movable along a geometrical line in between a corresponding first working position and a second working position, and control the tension of the passing textile material by deflecting the latter applying to it a deflection force of between 0.5 N and 400 N when the textile material along its length intersects said geometrical line, and in the third step of the method controlling the tension of the textile material comprises applying to the textile material the deflection force of between 0.5 N and 400 N using the tension compensator.

61. The method according to claim 59, wherein the plurality of driving rollers of the system comprise a first Foulard-type roller fixed inside the interior of the hollow chamber and next to the textile material-feeding port, and wherein the third step of the method further comprises squeezing out liquid from the textile material by using the first Foulard-type roller thusly, adjusting the wet pickup value of the textile material when exiting the first Foulard-type roller to be of between 30% and 90%.

62. The method according to claim 59, wherein in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 5 m/min and 140 m/min.

63. The method according to claim 59, wherein during the third step of the method adjusting the rotational speed of any of the plurality of the driving rollers thusly, further controlling the tension of the textile material.

64. The method according to claim 59, further comprising dyeing the textile material.

65. The method according to claim 59, wherein the textile material is a denim fabric, the hollow chamber is configured so that therein the textile material follows a travel path of a length of between 10 m and 35 m, the desired ozone concentration value is of between 2 g/Nm.sup.3 and 30 g/Nm.sup.3, and in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 25 m/min and 50 m/min.

66. The method according to claim 59, wherein the textile material is a denim fabric, the hollow chamber is configured so that inside it the textile material follows a travel path of a length of between 10 m and 35 m, the desired ozone concentration value is of between 25 g/Nm.sup.3 and 150 g/Nm.sup.3, and in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 50 m/min and 140 m/min.

67. The method according to claim 59, wherein in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 25 m/min and 50 m/min, and the desired ozone concentration value is of between 2 g/Nm.sup.3 and 15 g/Nm.sup.3.

68. The method according to claim 59, wherein the ozone concentration value is of between 10 g/Nm.sup.3 and 150 g/Nm.sup.3, and in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 20 m/min and 150 m/min.

69. The method according to claim 59, wherein the textile material is denim fabric dyed with indigo, reactive and/or Sulphur dyes, the desired ozone concentration value is of between 2 g/Nm.sup.3 and 15 g/Nm.sup.3, and in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 25 m/min and 50 m/min.

70. The method according to claim 59, wherein the textile material is fabric that is raw and/or in greige state, the desired ozone concentration value is 20 g/Nm.sup.3, and during the fourth step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of 40 m/min.

71. The method according to claim 59, wherein the textile material comprises wool, the desired ozone concentration value is of between 15 g/Nm.sup.3 and 30 g/Nm.sup.3, and in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 25 m/min and 50 m/min.

72. The method according to claim 59, wherein and the desired ozone concentration value is of between 5 g/Nm.sup.3 and 30 g/Nm.sup.3, and in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 25 m/min and 50 m/min.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0089] The previous and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of embodiments, with reference to the attached figures (drawings), which must be considered in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, in which:

[0090] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of a first preferred embodiment of the system when the latter operated.

[0091] FIG. 2 is a three dimensional perspective of a part of the system as of FIG. 1, as seen from outside the system.

[0092] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of a second preferred embodiment of the system when operated, which comprises the system of FIG. 1 as a part of the overall system.

[0093] FIG. 4 is a three dimensional perspective of the system as of FIG. 3 as seen from outside the system.

[0094] FIG. 5 is a third preferred embodiment of the system, wherein the system is intended to be used for treating textile material comprising an ensemble of non-weaved non-bonded between them yarns.

[0095] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of an embodiment of the tension compensator, and shows 3 different working positions of the tension compensator.

[0096] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of the exemplary embodiment of the first aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0097] FIG. 1 shows a first preferred embodiment of the system of the first aspect of the invention. In this case the system 1 is positioned on the ground G, and comprises the hollow chamber 13, the textile-feeding port 16 which is adjacent and connected, e.g. via the system's side walls (not fully shown), to the to a first wall 20 of the hollow chamber 13. The system 1 also comprises the textile-discharging port 26 which is adjacent and connected to a second wall 30 of the hollow chamber. Said textile-feeding port 16 comprises the first tank 19, the first liquid inlet 15, the first liquid outlet 18 which is connectable to a liquid purification unit (not shown), and the first immersed roller 21, and the external textile redirection mean 39 which in this case is a bar. Said textile-discharging port 26 comprises the second tank 29, the second liquid inlet 17, the second immersed roller 22, and the second liquid outlet which is connectable to said liquid purification unit. The first and second liquid inlets 15, 17 are connectable to a liquid supply system (not shown). In this embodiment, the system 1 also comprises a support structure S which holds above the ground the hollow chamber 13 and the textile-discharging and feeding ports 26, 16. In this particular case, the ozone supply system is an ozone generating device 40 (rectangle highlighted by gray color) located below the textile-feeding port 16, and is connected via tubing (not shown) to eight gas inlets 10 (air inlets) fixed on the back side wall of the hollow chamber 13. When the system is supplied with the first and a second liquid for being operated, the indicated by the light gray color first pool 34 and second pool 35 are formed respectively so that the lower edges of the first and the second walls 20, 30 are fully immersed inside the respective pools 34 and 35. Similarly to the prior art, in this embodiment each of the front- and the back- (with respect to the plane of the drawing) side walls of the hollow chamber extends towards the first tank 19 and the second tank 29 acting as corresponding side wall thereof, and also being united to the entire length of the front and back side edges (not shown) of said first wall 20 and said second wall 30. For this reason, ozone gas in the hollow chamber cannot escape through the textile material-feeding and discharging ports 16, 26 when the first and the second pools 34, 35 are respectively present. The hollow chamber 13 also comprises a plurality of guide rollers 7 (for clarity of presentation not all guide rollers are numerically indicated, the reader can distinguish them in the drawing), two internal traction rollers 8 with each being drivable by a corresponding traction motor 6 properly connected to the former and located on top of the hollow chamber, and three tension compensators 11. The system 1 further comprises the first Foulard-type roller 9 which is drivable by a properly connected therewith first drive motor 37 located on top of the hollow chamber 13 close to the textile-feeding port 16, and the system 1 also comprises the second Foulard-type roller 14 which is drivable by a properly connected therewith second drive motor 31 located on top of the former. In this case, as is obvious from FIG. 1, each of the first and the second Foulard-type rollers 9, 14 comprises a set of two respective sub-rollers (not indicated numerically) and the distance between the sub-rollers of each set is adjustable so that the pressure applied to the textile material 2 and its lengthwise segments 3 passing in between said sub rollers is also adjustable so that the amount of liquid removed from the textile material 2 and thus the wet pickup value of the latter (e.g. of a lengthwise segment 3) when leaving each Foulard-type roller, is controlled. The system 1 also comprises another driving roller, that is an external traction roller 32, located outside the hollow chamber 1 and above the second tank 29 and pool 35, said external traction roller 32 being connected and drivable by the external drive motor 33 located close to the former. Left to the second Foulard-type roller the system 1 also comprises the external textile redirection mean 39 which is an external guide roller. Overall, the system's external textile redirection means 39, being external guide rollers and/or bars and configured to guide the textile material 2, and thus its lengthwise segments 3, to enter the textile-feeding port 16 and exit the textile-discharging port at the appropriate directions for passing through the system and its rollers. In FIG. 1, the textile material 2 being lengthwise spread out across and passing through the system when the latter is used, is depicted by the thick gray line. Examples of the lengthwise segments 3 of the textile material 1 are depicted by the thick black lines overlaid on the thick gray line depicting the textile material 2. The direction of movement of the textile material 2, and thus of each lengthwise segment 3, across various parts of the textile material's travel path is indicated by the thick black arrows. The hollow chamber 13 of the system 1 also comprises ozone concentration monitoring sensors 12 which are connectable to the microprocessor system of a gas analyzer (not shown) and are configured to measure the ozone gas concentration inside the hollow chamber when the system is operated. In this embodiment, the top wall of the hollow chamber has a gas outlet 5 fixed thereon, and via said gas outlet 5 a gas destruction unit 4 is connected to the hollow chamber. The gas destruction unit 4, which in this specific case contains Carulite® catalyst, is configured to remove gas from the interior of the hollow chamber, destroy its ozone content and release via the exhaust 38 non-toxic exhaust gas to the environment. In FIG. 1, the width axis of the textile material 2, and the rotational axis of all types of the therein depicted rollers are substantially perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1. Thus it is obvious that the textile materials execute a lengthwise motion when passing through the hollow chamber, and during said lengthwise motion the textile material travels along the length of the system and inside the hollow chamber successively passes through the upper and the lower part of the hollow chamber. Moreover, the width of the system and the length of the guide rollers is larger than the width of the textile material so that the latter can pass through the system and its rollers, being breadthwise spread out and uniformly in contact with each of the guide rollers. In this embodiment the travel path of the textile material 2 (and any of its lengthwise segments 3) inside the chamber is more than 10 m.

[0098] FIG. 2 shows a three dimensional perspective of a part of the system 1 of FIG. 1, as seen from outside the system 1 and behind the back side wall 49 of the hollow chamber (hollow chamber 13 in FIG. 1). FIG. 2 shows the two traction motors 6, the external traction motor 33, and clearly shows four of said gas inlets 10. FIG. 2 also shows part of the tubing 42 connecting said gas inlets 10 to the ozone generating device (not shown), and also shows that attached to said tubing 42 there is a fan motor 43 which is connected to and drives a fan (not shown) located inside the tubing 42 and configured for increasing the flow at which the ozone gas is injected to the hollow chamber, so that the concentration of the ozone gas is substantially uniform inside the hollow chamber under normal system operation. Said fan essentially functions as the gas blower mentioned in relation the exemplary embodiment of first aspect of the invention. FIG. 2 also shows the gas analyzer 44 which is connected to the ozone concentration monitoring sensors 12 (not shown) depicted in FIG. 1. The gas analyzer 44 comprises a microprocessor system that is configured to receive and optionally analyze signals send by the ozone concentration monitoring sensors 12, and the gas analyzer optionally shows the measured ozone gas concentration via a display connected and controlled by said microprocessor system. FIG. 3 shows a second preferred embodiment of the system. The system 1 of FIG. 1 is part of the system 51 shown in FIG. 2. The system 51 also comprises the first accumulation unit 45, the dryer unit 46, and the second accumulation unit 47. For clarity of presentation, FIG. 3 also shows as a thick grey line the textile material 2 being present and spread out across the system 51 when said system 51 is operated. In addition, the drawn dashed-line rectangular boxes in FIG. 3 indicate a first 7a and a second 7b set of guide rollers respectively positioned in the upper and the lower part of the hollow chamber.

[0099] FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional perspective of the system 51 of FIG. 3, as seen from in front and above the system 51. As shown in FIG. 4, the front side wall 54 of the sub-system 1 (system 1 in FIG. 1) comprises a door 52 which comprises a glass window 53 for viewing inside the chamber when the door 52 is closed as shown. The system 51 also comprises a computer 70 which is connected to corresponding microprocessors of several of the electronic and/or electromechanical parts of the system 51, and is configured to monitor and control, according to the user's inputs, the operation of said parts and of the system 51, and in particular any of the process parameters which are critical for treating the textile material and preventing the formation of defects, examples of said parameters being: the linear speed with which the lengthwise segment pass through the hollow chamber 13, the value of the deflection force, the wet pickup of the textile material after passing through the first Foulard-type roller. For this reason, the system of the first aspect of the invention optionally comprises the computer 70, the latter being preferably connected to, monitoring the operation of, and controlling any of the following components of the system when said components are present: first and second Foulard-type roller 9,14 and their respective drive motors 37, 31 (each of these motors can be a component of the respective roller and can comprise microprocessors connected to the computer), any of driving rollers such as the external traction roller 32 and its corresponding motor 33 (the motor can be a component of the roller), the internal traction roller and its corresponding motor 6 (the motor can be a component of the roller), ozone generating device 40, fan and connected thereon motor 43, ozone concentration monitoring sensor 12, gas analyzer 44, gas destruction unit 4, dryer unit 46, liquid supply system, liquid purification unit. Obviously the system is connectable to at least one power supply unit, which can also be a component of the system and is connectable to an external power grid and powers the system and its various components. Said computer 70 can also be connected to said power unit (power unit not shown in any of the drawings). Moreover, the computer can be connectable to any other not mentioned above electromechanical or electronic components of the system such as valves, shutters, regulators etc. which are commonly present in industrial textile processing systems and often comprise microprocessors connectable with computers.

[0100] FIG. 5 describes another embodiment of the system of the first aspect of the invention. This embodiment is a preferred one when the textile material comprises non-weaved yarns. The system 61 of FIG. 5 has a similar structure to the system 1 shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the components of system 62 of FIG. 5 which are substantially the same or serve substantially similar functionality as the aforementioned components of system 1, are described with the same reference numbers. The system 62 in FIG. 5 has the following distinct features: there are two large glass viewing windows 36 fixed on the back side wall of the chamber, there is the external tension compensator 60 right to the second Foulard-type roller 60, there are the separators 61, each of the guide rollers 7 of the plurality of guide rollers comprises fins 72 which are shown clearly in the inset Q of FIG. 5, said inset showing a magnified view of one of the guide rollers 7. In this case the longitudinal axis of each fin 72 is parallel to the rotational axis of the roller 7, and in between neighboring fins 72 there are gaps. For this reason, when the lengthwise segment 3 of the textile material 2 touches the guide roller 7, it is primarily making contact with the apex points of the fins 72, and in between neighboring fins 72 each yarn of the lengthwise segment 3 is not making contact with the guide roller 7, and this facilitates the uniform ozone treatment of the yarn and the prevention of the formation of ozone induced defects. Each of the separators 61, essentially is a bar parallel to the guide rollers and fixed on either or both of the front and back side wall (not shown/marked with reference sign in FIG. 5) of the hollow chamber 13, or on an additional support structure fixed thereon. When the system 62 is operated, each separator 61 serves the purpose of keeping a first set of yarns of the lengthwise segment (passing by said separator 61) spatially separated from a second set of yarns of the lengthwise segment, so that each yarn of each corresponding first and second set is more uniformly treated by the ozone gas as it moves through the chamber and in between the successive guide rollers 7, as indicated by FIG. 5. Therefore, the separators contribute to the prevention of the formation of ozone induced defects, forming with the at least one tension compensator 11 and the plurality of guide rollers 7 a synergistic effect.

[0101] FIG. 6 shows a cross section of an example of a tension compensator 11, which in this case is a common type of a tension compensator, and describes its operation. In this case, the tension compensator comprises the first shaft 81 which is attached and is substantial perpendicular to any or both of the back and front side wall (not shown) of the system (not shown). The longitudinal axis of the first shaft 81 is perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 6, and the first shaft 81 can rotate around said axis, as indicated by the shown double arrows. Attached to and supported by the first shaft 81 there is the connector 82 which is also attached to and supports the contact part 83. The contact part 83 is also a shaft parallel to the first shaft 81. The connector 82 is attached to one edge of the contact part 83 and does not contact the lengthwise segment 3 of the textile material, thus it does not hinder the slide of the latter around the contact part 83. Obviously a second connector (not shown), similarly configured with the shown connector 82, can be attached to the other (opposite) edge (not shown) of the contact part 83. The connector 82, and thus the contact part 83, can also pivot around the longitudinal axis of the first shaft 81, following the movement of the latter when it rotates. The lengthwise segment 3 (textile material) contacts the contact part 83 when passing through the tension compensator 11. The direction of the movement of the lengthwise segment 3 as it passes by the tension compensator 11 is indicated in FIG. 6 by the thick grey curved arrow. When the contact part 83 contacting the lengthwise segment 3 is at the position O or at any position along the hypothetical line GL (indicated by the dashed-dotted line) that includes position O and is in between the positions N1 and N2, then the deflection force F has the prevention value and the fibers (not shown) of the lengthwise segment 3 are at an optimum mechanical state for being treated with ozone. When the contact part 83 with the lengthwise segment 3 are at position O, and then the lengthwise segment 3 is pulled upwards towards position N1 by external forces not shown, then the tension compensator 11, meaning its contact part 83, pivots moving along said line and towards position N1, thus preventing stressing of the textile and keeping the deflection force F, applied by the contact part to the textile material, at a defect prevention value. Similarly, when the contact part 83 with the lengthwise segment 3 are at position O, and then the lengthwise segment 3 becomes loose lengthwise and the action force applied from the textile material to the contact part tends to decrease, then the tension compensator 11 pivots moving along said line GL and towards position N2 for keeping the textile material tensed and the deflection force F at a defect prevention value. Preferably, the tension compensator 11 comprises a sensor for measuring the value of the deflection force related to the interaction between the tension compensator 11 and the lengthwise segment 3, or measuring a physical parameter correlated to said value of the deflection force. For example, in the case of the example of FIG. 6, the sensor is an inclinometer that measures the angle between the position of the tension compensator contact part 83 and connector 82 with respect to position O. These types of sensors, such as inclinometers, potentiometers and load cells, are well known and widely used in tension compensators. The tension compensator 11 preferably is adjusted automatically for maintaining that the deflection force has the prevention value. Nevertheless, it is also contemplated that is adjusted manually by the user of the system, or is adjusted by an actuator which adjusts the position of the tension compensator.

[0102] An example of a sensor used with the tension compensator and being configured to measure the position of the contact part and thus measure/indicate the force/load applied from textile material to the tension compensator and the corresponding deflection force applied from the tension compensator to the textile material when the tension compensator is positioned along the geometrical line GL, is the Magnetic Field positioning system BMP000Z by Balluf. Another example of the sensor, is the Novohall rotary sensor (series RFC4800) that for example is used attached/integrated to the aforementioned rotating first shaft 81.

[0103] The exemplary embodiment is further described by FIG. 7. The device for removing floating color with ozone as shown in FIG. 7 comprises a hollow chamber 13, wherein a left side wall of the hollow chamber is provided with a textile-feeding port, and a right side wall of the hollow chamber is provided with a textile-discharging port; the hollow chamber is internally provided with guide rollers 7 for changing a moving direction of denim, the guide rollers 7 are divided into two groups depending on their positions, each group has at least two guide rollers, one group 7a is fixed on an upper part of the hollow chamber and the other group is fixed on a lower part of the hollow chamber; a driving roller which a second Foulard-type roller 14 for driving the denim to move from left to right, and pressing the passing textile, is fixed above the textile-discharging port through a support, and a rotating shaft of said driving roller is connected with a rotating shaft of a driving motor through a transmission mechanism; and an air inlet is arranged in the hollow chamber and is communicated with an air outlet port of an air intake pipe, and an air inlet port of the air intake pipe is communicated with an air outlet nozzle of an ozone generating device. The driving roller drives the textile 2, which is tensioned on the guide rollers, to move from left to right, and meanwhile, the ozone generating device (not shown) generates ozone and delivers ozone to the hollow chamber. As also shown in FIG. 7, the device also comprises a tension compensator 11, a second driving roller which is an external traction roller 32, and a third driving roller which is a First Foulard-type roller 9 configured to pressing the passing textile denim.

[0104] This embodiment can be used for removing the floating color from the cloth and hard printed textile, and can avoid dyeing caused by rinsing.

[0105] In the exemplary embodiment the upper part of the hollow chamber is sealed, the hollow chamber is only provided with the textile-feeding port, the textile-discharging port, the air inlet and the air outlet, and the air outlet is communicated with an air inlet port of an air outlet pipe. The textile-feeding port and the textile-discharging port are both provided with a sealing structure for preventing ozone from overflowing therefrom. Please note that the sealing structure can be used to reduce/prevent, but not completely eradicate, the leakage of ozone. Preferably, the sealing structure comprises a first partition plate 95, the top part of the first partition plate 95 is abutted against the top of the hollow chamber, and a gap is arranged between the bottom part of the first partition plate 95 and the bottom of the hollow chamber; the sealing structure further comprises a second partition plate 94, the bottom part of the second partition plate 94 is abutted against the bottom of the hollow chamber, and a gap is arranged between the top part of the second partition plate 94 and the top part of the hollow chamber; the first partition plate 95 is located between a side wall of the hollow chamber and the second partition plate 94; and the height at which the bottom of the first partition plate 95 locates, is lower than the height at which the top part of the second partition plate 94 locates; water fills between the side wall and the first partition plate and between the first partition plate and the second partition plate 94; and the height at which the water level of the water locates, is lower than the height at which the top part of the second partition plate 94 locates, but is higher than the height at which the bottom of the first partition plate 95 locates; two guide rollers fixed at the lower part of the system are located immersed in the water; and the textile-feeding port and the textile-discharging port are opened on the side wall of the hollow chamber outside the first partition plate 95. According to the present invention, the structure of a hollow chamber body is optimized, and uses the partition plate and the side wall to form a water sealing structure which can effectively prevent the overflow of ozone and reduce the entry of water into the hollow part inside the second partition plate. Of course, other liquids can be used to replace water to realize the sealing.

[0106] In the exemplary embodiment the air inlet is preferably located at the top of the hollow chamber inside the first partition plate, and also can be located in the bottom or side wall of the hollow chamber inside the second partition plate. Preferably, the air inlet is provided with a three-way valve, one valve port of which is communicated with the hollow chamber, one valve port is communicated with the air outlet port of the air intake pipe, one valve port is communicated with the air outlet port of an air-guide pipe. The air inlet port of the air-guide pipe is connected with the air outlet of an air blower. In this way, the air pressure at the air inlet can be increased by means of the air blower, thereby increasing the action intensity of ozone with the denim, and improving the effect of removing the floating color. Preferably, the air intake pipe is provided with a flow valve, so that the inflating volume of ozone can be adjusted through the flow valve, so as to control the ozone amount in the hollow chamber. Further, an ozone concentration-monitoring sensor is arranged in the hollow chamber, and is connected with a microprocessor system which is connected with a control system of the ozone generating device, so as to adjust ozone generating speed according to the concentration of ozone and further to control the ozone amount in the hollow chamber.

[0107] A preferred embodiment of the method of the second aspect of the invention is as follows: [0108] using the system described above in relation to FIG. 1 and supplying its first tank with the first liquid and forming the first liquid pool of the first liquid inside the first tank, and supplying the second tank with the second liquid and forming the pool of the second liquid inside the second tank, both the first liquid and the second liquid being water, and spreading out the textile material across the system according the first aspect of the invention, and operating said system [0109] supplying the hollow chamber with ozone gas at the desired ozone concentration value, using the ozone generating device, [0110] using the driving rollers passing the textile material through the system, meaning driving the textile material the successively move through the pool of the first liquid, through the interior of the hollow chamber, and through the pool of the second liquid, and preventing the formation of ozone-induced defects on the textile material by controlling the tension of the textile material using the tension compensator and with the latter's movable contact part applying to the textile material a deflection force of a value constantly of between 0.5 N and 400 N.

[0111] Preferably, the textile material is being spread out similarly to what is indicated by FIG. 1. Preferably the first and the second liquids are water. Preferably the desired ozone concentration value is of between 2 g/Nm.sup.3 and 150 g/Nm.sup.3.

[0112] Preferably the passing the textile material is done at a linear speed of between 5 m/min and 140 m/min. Also preferably when passing the textile material, the method comprises adjusting the rotational speed of any of the plurality of driving rollers, thusly additionally controlling the tension of the textile material.

[0113] Preferably, the system comprises the first Foulard-type roller, and operating the system comprises adjusting the former to squeeze out water from the lengthwise segment so that the wet pickup value of the later when exiting the first Foulard-type roller is of between 30% and 90%.

[0114] In another embodiment of the method the hollow chamber is configured so that therein the textile material follows a travel path of a length of between 10 m and 200 m, and in the third step of the method passing the textile material through the hollow chamber at a linear speed of between 5 m/min and 140 m/min, and the desired ozone concentration value is of between 2 g/Nm.sup.3 and 150 g/Nm.sup.3.

[0115] The inventors have observed that by implementing the invention, the formation of ozone induced defects is significantly prevented compared to what is achieved with the prior art. The implementation of the invention can result to a 2-fold decrease of the number of ozone induced defects that appear on the textile material, or to a substantially larger decrease of the number of defects, compared to what is achieved when only applying the teachings of the prior art.

[0116] The above shows and describes the basic principle, the main features and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art shall know that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments above, the embodiments and the descriptions above only describe the principle of the present invention. The present invention may also have various changes and improvements without deviating from the scope of the present invention, and the changes and improvements shall all fall within the scope of the protection of the present invention. The scope of the protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims.